Find freedom this winter!
Snowshoe Petrie Island or Gatineau Park
BY jENNIFER GOLDSTONE
lIBerTy. That’s what snowshoes give you. If you join a snowshoe
Just strap them on and enjoy the many outing around Petrie Island,
greenbelt lands and parks around ottawa, it will start out from the
especially gatineau Park. you don’t need public parking area near the
a trail, although you will find a few listed beach and go through the trees
on the national Capital Commission’s on the bird-watching trail heading
website and illustrated on the gatineau west. open water and ice floes will
Park map. you can walk alongside (not be to the right and the sheltered bay
on) the cross-country ski paths or blaze area, frozen and dotted with hardy ice-
your own trail. fishing folk to the left. The turn-around is
During the big snow of 2007-08, my at the end of the island. If you’re exploring
snowshoes got more use than my cross- gatineau Park, you can choose from a range
country skis. Heavy snowfalls buried the ski of trails. most are mildly hilly, forested and
trails, so I often trekked along the river near well marked. you’ll come across great
Petrie Island in orleans. I also snowshoed views of lakes, (e.g. around lac Philippe and ah, liberty.
near gatineau Park with my fellow Petrie meech lake) and will most certainly see Jennifer Goldstone, a member of the Petrie
Island outdoor Club members. There I tracks from deer, rabbits and other wildlife. Island Outdoor Club, leads snowshoe and
discovered another hobby as Dave and at the end of these group outings, feel cross-country ski outings. She is one of many
lise Snelson used their gPS to lead us to free to huddle around thermoses of hot riverside dwellers in Orleans who beat their
a geocache – one of more than 200 in the choc
GV Snowshoes_Ottawa_Out_Mag.qxd:Layout 1 19/11/08 11:00 Page 1
olate and rejoice in the great outdoors. own trails along the Ottawa River.
ottawa area. Snowshoes also got me around
orleans for groceries and errands on one of
those 37-cm Sundays last winter when my
car spent a couple of weeks stuck in ice.
liberty indeed.
Snowshoeing is a low-tech sport. no
need to agonize over what type to buy, just
decide if you want snowshoes for the trail
(the smaller ones will do) or for deep snow
(the larger, traditional-styled shoes are
best). Snowshoes sell for between $60 and
$400 at outdoor stores all over the city.
If you can walk, you can snowshoe.
There’s no particular technique requiring
practice. Dress similar to cross-country
skiing – in layers – since you will likely get
a good workout, especially your gluts and
quads. get out there and enjoy nature.
you can join a club, e.g. the Petrie
Island outdoor Club, which will lead
three 90-minute outings in gatineau Park
and Petrie Island in January-February
(see www.pioc.ca). once you’ve paid your
ICHOLAS
annual membership, there is no extra charge
N
G
for outings. Snowshoers don’t have to pay
RE
/
G
to use gatineau Park either – just the skiers
.
C
OM
pay. another bonus. as well, look on the
T
O
event Calendar page for a list of the other
local outdoor clubs you can join. on these
Aluminum Carbon W ood Polymer
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guided trips, you’ll discover new routes and
trails and probably gain a few friends.
www.gvsnowshoes.com
B
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P
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22 OTTAWA >> WINTER 2008/2009
www.OttawaOutdoors.ca
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